Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-21

The last patch was put on the cracks In the l.
street main yesterday Afternoon and at 10 o'clock
last night the water was again slowly turned on.
gang OF $50 laborers is hard at work laying open
the earth for q distance OF 1000 feet along the
line OF pipe, preparatory to making such repairs
as the Commissioners may decide upon. 1t will
be some time before this work il finished, as Capt.
Symons fears to open too large trench for should
storm come the water would settle there and
might cause serious damage to the main. After
the earth has been dug away from the pipe it will
be subjected to q minute inspection to ascertain
IF THERE ARE ANT OTHER CRACKS
In existence that have not made themselves mani
fest Captain Syu1ons does not think 1t Will be
necessary to turn on the water again, but he ad-
v1Ses that, while the work OF uncovaring the main
Is under way, the people I'LL their Dath-tubS and
water-buckets, for o break is likely to occur at
any time. II o crack exists In the pipe In that
part which has not yet been uncovered, the re-
sstance there may be on the outside to the press
ure OF the water on the inside. ana possibly result
In another break.
As TO Mr. CRANES ALLEGATIONS
Captain Symons was interviewed to-day by q
STAR reporter in relation to the allegation made
by Mr.. j. II. Crane In his letter to THE STAR last
night that the breaks were due to the air COM
pressed In the main by the failure to open the air
valves whenever the water was turned on.
81 symons saa 9nat 9s IL Is io9na ~ %
first turned on from the small mains that connect
1t with the X street main. He said that not only
the main is being filled, but there are 10000 air.
cocks In all the houses that are connected with
this main. He said In reference to Mr. Larman's
statement from which Mr.. Crane quoted, that
"there are some twenty or more OF these air
ValVeS;" that "there are
ONLY TWO COCKS IN THAT MAIN
that were really placed there to act as air valves
Besides all these vents for the air In the houses
and fire plugs Capt. Symons says that there is a
large two-1nch blOw-o in the reservation at Penn
sylvania avenue and 26th street northwest.
AIR MORE ELASTIC THAN WATER.
'If we wished to keep the shock OF the main, "
said he, 1--WE would leave the air in It. Everybody
knows that air is more elastic than water, and 1t
would act as cushion II left in the main when the
water is turned on. We don't exclude the air
We want the water in there and don't want the
air. believe that the final cause OF the breaks
was the turning on and on OF the water If
cracks existed In the mains, as they have for
many years, the equilibrium being DESTROYED by
turning on, and relieving the pressure would have
the the effect to weaken the pipe at the point wnere
separate and discharge the water
ABOUT THE PIERS.
"It is singular" said Capt. Symons, '1f the piers
had nothing to do with the breaks that every
crack or break started on the piers. believe, as
have before stated, that the breaks were caused
IN around the main to assist the stone piers in
supporting IL, and the consequent Increase in the
pressure OF the earth on top and the water within
the pipe. In such case the pressure Of the earth
on top would have atendency to f1atten or squash
the pipe and dopen crack III the bottom and In the
Replytng to Mr.. Cranes denial OF Capt. symons'
reported statement that the piers are OF brick,
Capt SymonS said: II am sure never said they
were brick piers and doubt II Mr. Hayden said
it. They are OF masonry. II any one did say It, tt
was, OF course, mere slip OF the tongue"
WHAT COL LUDLOW SAYS.
Col Ludlow arrived in the city from PhiIadel-
phia last night His first act was to visit the scene
OF and inspect the breaks In the L-street main.
This morning he again visited them He said to a
STAR reporter to-day that "what has been done Is
very well In its way. The main has been jacketed
and banded as heavily as can be-" He believes
that 1t is now in as good condition as can be ex-
pected from main that is little lame. He said
that the great mistake In laying this main was
in placing wooden blocking between the tops
OF the masonry piers and the pipes. This block
ing is, he considers, an element certain to give
trouble and It would have been far better had the
Ludlow believes that the breaks were caused by
the subsistence OF the pipe when the wooden
blocking decayed and the earth fell away from the
p1pe leaving 1t to support alone the weight OF the
the pipe is cylindrical and the sections thrust
into each other and caulked making It quite rigid.
Whatever elasticity It may have Is largely In the
metal. He says the pine Will be stripped along
that part which rests on the piers and ngtdly ex-
amlned. II any more cracks are found the pipe
will be carefully 1acketed and banded. II thereis
any hesitation In regard TO the efficacy OF these
remedies. new sections OF pipe win be laid in the
affected region.
Col Ludlow was asked by the reporter II he de-
sired to say anything in reply TO Mr.. Cranes allie
cations He replied that he saw nothing In the
letter that needed reply from the Commissioners.